Georgetown Gets in on the Act, Nabs Top Junior

When will the parade of top local juniors making college commitments stop? The latest is Georgetown Prep guard Markel Starks, who yesterday accepted a scholarship offer to play for Georgetown.

"My phone has been ringing like crazy," Little Hoyas Coach Dwayne Bryant said. "Angry coaches. You have no idea."

The 6-foot-1 Starks averaged 14.2 points per game last season. He also took unofficial visits to Maryland, Wake Forest, Georgia and Georgia Tech before taking a trip to Georgetown on Tuesday, Bryant said.

"He just felt that was the place he wanted to be," Bryant said. "He didn't need to drag that out. He felt that was the best place academically and athletically for him to grow as a person. Despite my trying to get him to wait - not necessarily to think about other things but to think and make sure that was what he wanted - ultimately it came down to that was what he and his parents felt was the best fit and they decided to do it."

As for the rush of juniors making their choices this month, Bryant said he thought it would take pressure off the players and allow them more time to focus on schoolwork.

"It's the norm now, particularly in that class," Bryant said. "There is so much talent, particularly at the guard spot. There is a lot of pressure for these guys to shore up their futures. Most of these schools are recruiting the same five or six guys. There's only so many of those top schools to go around. It obviously puts some pressure on these guys to get it done early."

Welcome to the hilltop, Markel. Your game will fit in very well with what JTIII is trying to accomplish. The future looks bright with Starks and Hollis Thompson in the backcourt and Dashonte Riley in the post.